ajmac

Has the Porsche turreted Kingtiger ever been in running condition while part of the museum collection, and what condition is it in currently with regards engine and drive train?

Ah, that will be the answer then.

Valentine gun tank in NW Europe, that's interesting.....

You are right jack, you only find HMVF if you are looking for it, on Facebook you are much more likely to be introduced to it via a friend etc, more of a 'push' than we have now. Also allows people who don't have MVs as a main hobby to perhaps add there 2p, that's why I started a Facebook page for the Loyd Carrier just a month or so ago.

New years honours required all around! For services to the preservation and restoration of First World War British transport vehicles. A joy to read, as always.

Looking at that curve really brings home that despite the boom in technology during the first world war, said technology was still in it's very early days. Having an internal combustion engine rev limiting at 1400RPM and only producing 30-40BHP to haul your Lorry shows industry was still only just getting to grips with these new fangled machines! How did they cope with gradients when loaded? When was the engine introduced? I guess the new designs in engine improvements didn't make there way down from Aeros until after the war, and even then probably only in high end products. After all the second world war Ford Flathead V8 only made 85 BHP, 20 years later.

Thought I would drop in these couple of photos that I took today while at the 'Peugeot Adventure Museum' in Sochaux where I am being forced to take a day off due to French regulations! We are installing a GT at the Sochaux plant where the Lorry was manufactured, it still employs 12,000 people. Great museum by the way.

So the key piece of infomation to take from this is that there are essentially two versions of Sherman DDs; the British conversions for British and possibly Canadian use (of which there were Sherman III and Sherman V variants), converted in England and the USA conversions for US Army use. It is so easy to cut out some 'little' details and change the narative!

Adrian, I hope it is in good hands! Did you have to remove the British stowage bins?

Jon sure has taken on a major project, but I've no doubts it will become a runner given time and enough lucky breaks concerning those hard to find parts. What isn't shown on the photo was what he kindly collected from Holland for me....but more about that later...in all probability, if you are not a Loyd enthusiast with an excess of optimism it might look like a load of scrap :-) to me a slightly rough pile of unobtanium!

There is plenty of footage of it on YouTube, just type in Sherman and Tankfest and it is sure to come up. I might have a photo but I have had a simplex network drive failure and have just about bu**er all photos to hand at the moment. Nearly lost all my restoration photos too!

On its way home as a part load.....kept dry by a Staghound! Thanks Jon

Lucky guy!

I purchased this last week from Amazon and have to say that it brings the series back on track in line with the quality and accuracy of the 'Tiger' issue that was also tagged as being 'in association with The Tank Museum' the least said about the Sherman issue the better. I know certain people have found those associated with the Churchill project a little interesting to deal with but that apart, the restoration of the MkIV and MKIII look excellent. One for the book shelves.

That's about 4000 machines later than Adrian's M4A4, when would it have been manufactured relative to the date it was overhauled? These sorts of documents are true gold. I understood that the steel chevron track was introduced to reduce the rubber usage, yet they were fitting rubber chevron during the work that's documented. Are they perhaps replacing some damaged links rather than doing a complete track change. The numbers mentioned look small, unless those refer to some number of links making up a service length. I also like the idea that they painted it too :-) Shortages, what shortages?

I did Clive, however I will have to wait a little while before I get the new capillary on the water temperature gauge as it isn't cheap!

Sometimes a deal comes along, and at £25, this was one :-) It is post war going by the thermoset handle, but wartime ones are like hens teeth! Appart from the handle the switchpanel is identical to the image in the Loyd parts book, it all works too. Thanks to Clive for prompting me to be on the look out for dash parts. Just need the CAV ammeter and a suitable British choke pull. The rear of the unit is complete, I removed the mounting bracket for this photo. I have just setup a Facebook group that will only be updated with milestones, but have a look if you want, just search for Loyd Carrier.

Great Maurice, thanks. Next photo of it it should be in my workshop!

Quite sobering to think that a tool built to kill people is still being used for the same purpose 70 years later, long after the people that designed, built and used it defending Nazi Germany have passed away....

Started stripping the 8 wheels last night, quite easy in the end. Interestingly I have a mixed bag of wheels with Ball Race bearings and plain brass ones which are mentioned in the wartime Loyd manual....with the foot note that when encountered they should be replaced with ball bearings! A couple of lengths of wood were used to give enough clearance for the race to be drifted clear. The 40x110x27 mm Race Used in most carrier road wheels. Plain Bearing found in one wheel....so far... Note oil grooves.

That's the machine Barry.

After a very long day in the Discovery I came home with a camera full of photos of a 1943 Loyd Carrier - Tracked Towing project that was imported into the UK this year and is to be restored, I must thank the owner for the opportunity to climb all over such a rare original condition machine, invaluable! Interesting detail of the original Exhaust system. Late type dash with all original wiring still in place. On the way I collected eight Carrier wheels, some NOS with bearings and all but one made in the UK in 1943/44, thrown in with the deal were two NOS track return rollers. On the way back home I dropped in to see a fellow Carrier restorer and picked up a set of Bogies to be used until I can locate a set of British fabricated ones as were fitted on the range wreck. Thanks again Ben and keep up the good work, that Scout Carrier is credit to you! Izzy was happy about standing on the back of the car rather than what was inside :-) To top off the day I had confirmation that I am now the owner of a Loyd rear axle complete with brake drums , thanks again Maurice; a forum member has kindly offered to collect it while on way to collect his new project from Europe. It's good this forum, isn't it :-)

The track return rollers had different rubber thicknesses depending on year and ended up without any cushioning at all. Road wheels always had the same rubber tyre, however the front idler wheel is only 19" dia and I think the diameter difference is down to a thinner tyre.

They do look very similar Mike but are a different version with a much shorter neck, I haven't managed to find one yet.

Not huge progress but the front x-tube is repaired and will be off to the blasters soon. Rear x-tube was dropped off at the fab shop today for them to try and free off the brackets, I can't do it, no matter how hot I get them!